On The Advice of Friends
by TumblingTroublesomeTumbleweeds
Summary: Retsu Unohana isn't only a healer, apparently now she's a therapist too. Of course nothing is ever easy when it comes to her friends...who are too oblivious to recognize they're in love. Ukitake/OC...the OC belongs to my sister of course :P Minor pairings: Kenpachi/Unohana Toshiro/Momo Primarily written because I'm testing out a new style of writing.
1. Chapter 1

"Unohana-senpai?" Jushiro Ukitake asked as he walked into the 4th division.

"Ukitake-san," Retsu Unohana smiled, "do you need something?"

Jushiro nodded, "I'm a little bit confused about something and...I was wondering if you could help me"

Retsu smiled, "of course, what is it?"

Jushiro blushed, "well...it's uh..."

Retsu smiled softly, understanding in her eyes, "oh, that kind of problem," Jushiro nodded and Retsu smiled, "well, just sit down and tell me what's going on"

Jushiro sat down and sighed, "I think I may be in love"

Retsu smiled, "with Kushira?" Jushiro blushed and nodded, "then what's the problem?" Jushiro sighed.

"Well there's a couple of problems"

"Okay...what's the biggest one?" Retsu asked kindly.

Jushiro sighed, "I think she may like Rose"

Retsu shook her head, "why do you say that?"

Jushiro shrugged, "because she spends so much time with him," Retsu smiled gently.

"Well she and Otoribashi-san were very close to begin with and when the news reached her she was devastated. I wouldn't worry about it"

He sighed again, "still...I-I don't like seeing them together even though I know I shouldn't feel like this and I know she's happy being with him and she likes spending time with him and now she seems to be avoiding me and-" Retsu held a finger to his lips.

"Breathe". Jushiro obeyed. "You love her, jealousy is only natural"

His green eyes widened, "but I shouldn't be! I feel like a horrible person"

He looked so miserable Retsu nearly giggled. "Ukitake-san," she said, calming her internal laughter, "why don't you tell her how you feel?"

Jushiro blinked, "because if she doesn't feel the same way then I might destroy our friendship,"

Retsu sighed, "over a hundred years of friendship will not break so easily...besides. You may be surprised" the elderly captain thought back to a similar conversation she had with the current topic of conversation.

_The door to her office blew open and Kushira stumbled in. Retsu was on her feet immediately. "Are you okay? What happened?"_

_Kushira bowed her head, "feelings happened," she grumbled sinking onto the couch. Retsu smiled to herself. She had seen this coming. _

_"What kind of feelings Hikamara-san?" she asked, knowing full well the response. _

_"I don't know!" Well that was not what she expected. Redirect. _

_"What are the feelings like?" _

_Kushira sighed, "well at first I thought I was getting sick but it was sporadic and sudden"_

_"What were the symptoms?"_

_Kushira listed using her fingers, "my palms get clammy, my heart starts to race, my stomach feels fluttery and I can't focus!" she was frustrated._

_Retsu was smiling to herself, "and do these things happen around a specific person?" _

_Kushira blinked and nodded, "h-how-?" Retsu couldn't contain her laughter. A soft, ladylike giggle escaped her lips. _

"_And who is this person Hikamara-san?" she asked even though she knew the answer. _

_"Jushiro..." Kushira mumbled. _

_Retsu had been right. "Kushira," she said taking the darker hand in hers. The redhead looked up at the sudden familiarity, "have you ever considered the fact you may be in love with Jushiro Ukitake?" _

_Kushira yelped, "wh-what? In...love?" she squeaked and Retsu smiled softly, _

"_He is a very attractive man," the redhead blushed darker._

"_R-really? I...uh...I hadn't noticed"_

_Retsu sighed, "had it ever crossed your mind?" _

_Kushira bit her lip and nodded, "I entertained the thought during a meeting...but it's impossible!" Retsu was becoming increasingly amused._

"_Why is that?" Kushira bit her lip_

"_We've known each other for years! He's my best friend...he's like a brother to me...being in love with him sounds..." she blinked, confused, "it should sound so wrong but it doesn't! It makes sense..."the redhead dropped her head in her hands. "Oh my word...I'm in love with my oldest best friend"_

_Retsu smiled gently, "so tell him"_

_Kushira widened her eyes, "heck no! That would be a disaster!" Retsu sighed. She had known this would happen. Kushira and Jushiro were highly perceptive, incredibly keen Shinigami but when it came to their own feelings the feelings could be doing the tango naked in front of them and they STILL wouldn't notice._

_"Everything will work out," Retsu tried to reassure her but she found the redhead too worried, _

_"Things will never be the same!" she looked at Retsu with wide, green eyes, "how do I make this go away?" _

_Retsu sighed again, "you can't," she said, "they'll go away on their own if they're not serious feelings otherwise the only thing you can do is tell him"_

_Kushira blinked, "I know! I'll just avoid him until they go away. They can't possibly be serious feelings because I've never felt this way about him before"_

_Retsu had the suspicion that the feelings had been there for a very long time, she was just dismissing them as the love one would have for a sibling. "Avoiding him is going to hurt both of you," she said softly, "you'll be confusing him and your feelings probably won't go away,"_

_"But you just said-!"_

_"I know what I said...I believe you have been in love with him longer than you think, you are just now realizing the extent"_

_Kushira sat in silence, "I'm so afraid of screwing up our friendship..." she said quietly. Retsu sighed._

"_The best thing you can do is tell him"_

Retsu looked across the table. The same expression of regret, fear and complete heartbreak crossing his features. Retsu sighed, "Jushiro," he looked up at the sudden informality, "tell her. You'll only be miserable until you do," he hesitated

"I don't know if I can..." she fixed him with stern but caring blue eyes.

"You slay Hollows, you are captain of a division, you have seen comrades die and be injured, you are fighting against a devastating illness and you're afraid of confessing your feelings to the woman you love?"

A heartbeat. A nod. Retsu sighed. She'd been doing that a lot lately, especially when it came to these two. She idly wondered whether it had been this difficult for Zaraki to tell her of his feelings. Probably not. Her lips tingled in memory of the rough and passionate kiss he had attacked her with. "You won't be happy until you tell her"

Jushiro frowned, "I don't think I can..." his tone held a hint of despair


	2. Chapter 2

Several weeks had passed since her counseling sessions. Jushiro and Kushira had been and still were avoiding each other. They also looked completely miserable. Retsu knew she had been right. They were now aware of their feelings and had no idea what to do. She knew she wouldn't be of any more help. It was in their own hands.

Shunsui was worried about his friend's behavior. Jushiro was frequently distracted, lost in his thoughts. He also wouldn't talk to Kushira. It had been not long ago they would have to be separated with a crowbar, now it was impossible to even get them to look at each other.

He stopped his friend. Jushiro looked up at him with confused green eyes.

"What's wrong Shun?" he asked the scruffy captain.

Shunsui studied him, "are you feeling alright?"

Jushiro was caught by surprise, "just as fine as always. Why?" Shunsui didn't answer.

"Something bothering you?"

Jushiro sighed, "what's with the third degree Shun?"

Shunsui sighed too, "you've been acting weird lately...distracted, distant...and you won't even look at Kushira!" at the mention of the redhead's name Jushiro blushed and Shunsui figured it out. "Something happened between you guys didn't it?" okay, maybe not figured out entirely. Jushiro sighed and ran a hand through his long white hair.

"Nothing happened and that's what's bothering me..." Shunsui blinked. This time he knew he had it right:

"Don't tell me you finally realized your feelings for her!"

Jushiro blinked, "you knew?" he asked in confusion. Did everyone know except him? Did SHE know? He began to inwardly panic.

Shunsui knew what was going through his friend's head, "don't worry she's as oblivious to your feelings for her as she is about her feelings for you. It's clear you guys are madly in love with each other and have no idea," Jushiro blinked.

"With each other?" Shunsui shook his head. His friend was incredibly intelligent and could be incredibly stupid sometimes.

"Juu...she's in love with you," Jushiro widened his green eyes.

"How do you figure that?"

Shunsui sighed, "maa it's obvious isn't it?" he yawned, "she's beautiful and guys notice it yet she pays no attention, she's always talking to you. Not to mention her face lights up like a spotlight when she's around you," Jushiro blinked. He had noticed she tended to stick closer to him when guys would stare. He just assumed it was due to discomfort.

"Unohana-senpai said I should tell her how I feel," he sighed and Shunsui chuckled.

"Smart woman that Retsu-chan is," Jushiro quirked an eyebrow upwards.

"Don't let her hear you call her 'chan', I doubt she'd appreciate it," Shunsui chuckled.

"So are you gonna tell her?"

Jushiro blinked, "I need to think about it...are you positive she feels the same?"

Shunsui laughed, "as positive as I am that I need a drink right now," he looped his arm through his smaller friend's and dragged the white-haired captain in the direction of the nearest bar.

"Maa Juu...Don't think. Act. Grab her by the shoulders and either kiss her senseless or kiss some sense into her," Shunsui's voice sounded followed by an embarrassed squawk from his companion as several people looked at them in amusement.

Meanwhile

"Shira?"

"Momo?"

"Are you okay?" the petite brunette asked her friend.

Kushira blinked, "yeah I'm great. Why do you ask?"

Momo bit her lip, "you just seem kinda down," Kushira smiled warmly at her friend.

"I'm okay"

Silence fell over the girls. "Momo?"

"Shira?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

Momo blinked in surprise, "yes I have"

Kushira nodded, "what happened?"

Momo looked upwards, "well...he abandoned me and tried to kill me..." Kushira immediately regretted asking and dredging up Momo's dark feelings.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to-" Momo sighed, "it's okay. I have to learn to deal with it sooner or later," she smiled sadly, "and now I have Toshiro to help me through it...why did you ask about love?"

Kushira bit her lip, "well...I'm in love," Momo brightened and bounced to her friend.

"Really? That's great! Who with?" Kushira worried her lip.

"Jushiro...and it's not so great..."

Momo blinked, "why not? You guys are perfect for each other and it's clear he loves you too"

Kushira nearly fell over, "he does?" Momo blinked.

"You didn't know?" she asked incredulously. "It's in his eyes every time he looks at you. He's a very handsome man and he has a lot of admirers but he only has time for you"

Kushira blushed, "I thought we were like brother and sister," she said.

Momo blinked and sat down next to the redhead, "I sure haven't seen any brothers look at their sisters the way he looks at you. Like you're the only one in his world," Kushira blushed.

"Now you're lying," she pushed the smaller girl. Momo let out a giggle.

"I'm not though! You guys are perfect together! I mean, how romantic? Two of the oldest, kindest, most well-liked and respected captains start dating after being madly in love for who knows how many years...it's like a fairytale"

Kushira shook her head. Secretly she was grateful Momo's hopeless romantic side hadn't died when Aizen betrayed her. "You really think he feels the same way?" Momo nodded vigorously.

"Positive!" Kushira pondered that thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Kushira had decided she was going to get it over with. Consequences be damned. She was going to tell him how she felt. Tonight.

Or not...

The redhead balked at the thought. She needed more time to think about it.

Or not…

There was a knock on the door. She recognized the reiatsu that was as familiar as her own. She swallowed. Apparently the universe had other plans.

She opened the door shakily. "Hey there..." she said weakly.

Jushiro looked just as uneasy, "hi...mind if I-?" she shook her head and stepped back allowing him in.

"Would you like something to drink? I just made tea," he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"That'd be great. Thank you," moments later she returned with two mugs of tea. "This is the honey and licorice one from that tea shop we went to?" he asked taking a sip.

Kushira nodded, "yeah, remember we liked it a lot? Well I went back to the tea shop the next day and bought some," she smiled, "I just hadn't had a chance to make it"

Jushiro smiled warmly, awkwardness briefly forgotten as their easy friendship surfaced, "it's just as good as it was there"

She smiled, "better than the beetroot one," she giggled and his breath caught in his throat, "remember?" Jushiro made a face and let out a low chuckle that caused Kushira's heart to flutter like a caged bird.

"I will never look at a beet the same way!" he laughed.

"I thought they were purple," she made a face.

"They are...supposed to be at least...but especially not orange and blue"

They laughed, the sounds mixing together in a harmony. After the laughter had died down, the awkwardness settled over them again.

Kushira picked at the edge of her shihakusho, "so...why did you come here?"

Jushiro swallowed and became fascinated with his cup. "Well, I guess...I felt like we needed to talk," Kushira blushed.

"About the awkwardness between us?" he nodded. Silence fell.

"There's no easy way to do this," he looked up, determined, "so I'm just going to come out and say it..."

"I love you!" Kushira blurted. Her hands flew to her mouth and her face turned the same shade as her hair.

Silence fell.

"Yes." Jushiro coughed, "that's what I was going to say," Kushira didn't meet his gaze, face burning brightly. Unbidden, Shunsui's embarrassing words blurted loudly came to his mind.

"Don't think. Act. Grab her by the shoulders and either kiss her senseless or kiss some sense into her"

Jushiro breathed in through his nose before sitting down next to his friend. Her face was still buried in her hands and she was too busy wallowing in her embarrassment to notice his movement.

He gently grasped her shoulders. Kushira looked up in surprise, momentarily distracted from her wallowing. Without warning, he pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes widened but slowly closed. Her hands went to his sleeves and held the white fabric. Their lips moved against each other's in unison. Jushiro decided to push things a bit further.

Cupping the back of her neck, he licked lightly at her lips, asking for entrance. Kushira parted her lips more than willingly and cognition failed her when he ran his tongue along her own and little bolts of electricity shot down her spine and her extremities. She let a soft noise into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck. He slid one arm around her waist and deepened the kiss.

When air became too much of a problem to ignore, they broke apart. Their breathing was ragged and he let out a soft cough. "Wish we had figured this out sooner," she murmured against his soft lips.

He brushed his thumb along her cheek, "me too," he whispered back, brushing his lips lightly across hers, sending tingles down her spine.

They stayed in each other's arms the majority of the day, talking the way they used to do but something had changed. The few barriers once up were no longer there, now they could talk about their relationship and what was going to happen. They could have stayed there all day as long as they were together but they suspected people would start to wonder.

Jushiro pulled her to her feet. "So what do you say to being my girlfriend?" he asked.

Kushira laughed, "the word girlfriend makes me feel like a teenager," Jushiro laughed too.

He entwined their fingers, "alright...significant other?"

She pretended to think, "too...bland," she teased.

He sighed, "better half?" she blinked.

"I thought I already was," she brushed her lips against his nose. Their normal banter had taken on a more intimate tone.

"Why must we have a label at all?" she asked pulling back to look at him curiously, "we're not Captain Kurotsuchi's experiments," Jushiro let out a low laugh as he pulled Kushira against him as though he was going to dance with her.

"I do think we were someone's experiments," sure enough, he started dancing with her. Kushira raised an eyebrow.

"Retsu," she said, allowing herself to be led in a music-less waltz.

He nodded in confirmation and began humming a tune. "She must've thought we were worse than bricks!" she sighed, "apparently everyone could see it but us"

He shook his head, "I wonder how long we've been oblivious," he spun her and pulled her close.

Kushira blinked, "I was thinking about that...I think it's been quite a while"

Jushiro nodded, "I was apprehensive at first because of Captain Otoribashi," Kushira looked confused.

"Rose? What about him?" Jushiro sighed, "I was under the impression you cared for him as more than a friend"

Kushira blinked, "I do but not in the way you're thinking. He's like my brother. Like Shun and Sajin. Like I thought you were until I realized I felt differently about you"

They continued dancing around the wood floor of her living room. Now that they had found out their feelings each other, they didn't want to let go. They wanted to make up for lost time. "Retsu is going to be pleased," they slowed to a stop, simply holding each other.

Jushiro smiled softly, "she will be," Kushira tilted her chin up and accepted a kiss.


End file.
